Apparatus for opening and orientating spouted containers



April 1941'. R. w. FORRER ETAL 2,239,556

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND ORIENTATING SPOUTED CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l I {VIVIAN/1],

April 22, 1941. R. w. FORRER EIAL 2,239,556

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND ORIENTATING SPOUTED CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG- 2- V WUMM M m April 22, 1941. R, w. FORRER ET AL 2,239,556

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND ORIENTATING SPOUTED CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 vz f iill April 22, 1941. R w FORRER ETAL 2,239,555

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND ORIENTATING SPOUTED CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 22, 1-941. R. w. FORRER ETAL 2,239,555

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND QRIENTATING SPOUTED CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5. 21 FIG. 1B.

II I H 'fI/IIIIIIIIIII/IIIII/A II I ll 24- Patented Apr. 22, 1941 APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND ORIENTAT- ING SPOUTED' CONTAINERS Robert W. Forrer and Frank E. Gilbert, Rittman, Ohio, assignors to The Ohio Salt Company, Wadsworth, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 25, 1939, Serial No. 264,268

13 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of packaging commodities, and it has special reference to the packaging of salt and similar fluent materials in spouted containers, and primarily to the feeding or presenting of such containers to an appropriate filling machine in proper condition to be filled and in appropriate filling relation to such a machine.

Spouted containers to which the invention is particularly directed ordinarily have cylindrical bodies the ends of which are closed by fixed caps one of which carries a hinged metal closure spout provided with a lip overlying the cap and serving as a means whereby the spout may be pivotally moved to open position.

. In accordance with usual present practice, these spouted containers are furnished to the commodity packer in finished form and with their spouts closed. In order to fill them through their spouts, as is customary, it is now the custom to open these spouts by hand, and by hand to place the thus conditioned containers upon the receiving platforms of the filling machine with their opened spouts in appropriate filling relation to the outlet tube or nozzle of the filling machine hopper.

The object of the invention is to perform mechanioally and automatically these manual operations to thus expedite handling and filling of the containers and to facilitate the packaging operations.

To this end the invention contemplates a method of mechanically and automatically feeding spouted containers to a position for the filling of same, which includes the steps of automatically moving the closed spouts of successive containers to open condition, orientating the containers with reference to their opened spouts to the position for filling, and advancing the thus orientated containers successively to such filling position, and the invention contemplates, further, apparatus for performing the steps of such method, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is an end view of the apparatus of the invention illustrated in its association with a container filling machine of conventional character.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, but with parts omitted in the interest of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the cam mechanism for actuating one of the gate elements of the apparatus.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views illustrating two positions of the cam mechanism for advancing the containers from the station of orientation to the filling machine.

Figs. 7 and 7a are enlarged detail views illustrating, in two positions, a modified, preferred, form of the cam operated gate mechanism and stop member employed in the orientation of the containers, and Fig. 8 is a view looking toward the left, Fig. 7a.

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary detail views, with parts in section, illustrating the spout opening device and the operating mechanism the turntable, stop member and parts associated therewith for accomplishing orientation of the containers.

The apparatus A of the invention is arranged in cooperative position with respect to a filling machine B of conventional type (see Figs. 1 and 2) which includes a hopper l into which the salt or other fluent material is introduced and from which it is fed in measured charges by cut-off mechanism, not shown, through an outlet or nozzle 2 into and through the spout openings of containers successively presented to it on platforms 3 carried by a turntable 4 to which intermittent or step by step rotation is imparted by any suitable gearing or other drive mechanism, not shown. It will be appreciated that in this conventional type of filling machine means are provided for actuating the platform. members 3 in such manner that after the containers are positioned there on, and advanced by the step by step rotative motion described to position beneath the filling hopper, they will be slightly elevated to engage their spouts with the nozzle of the hopper. Such means usually include a cam track, not shown, upon which the lever arms 5 of the platforms ride. The hopper may be appropriately located above any one of the positions assumed by the platforms 3 such as that indicated at a, Fig. 2, subsequent to I that indicated at b, which latter represents the point of introduction of the containers to the filling machine, so that the cam referred to may operate to engage the container spouts with the hopper nozzle.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the apparatus of the invention includes a table 6 arranged upon suitable stands I so that its upper surface is in substantial horizontal alignment with the platforms 3 of the filling machine when such platforms are in their depressed position as illustrated in Fig. l. Communicating with one end of this table is a chute 8 preferably of openwork form through which the finished containers, with their spouts in closed position, and all in uniform endwise arrangement, are fed with their longitudinal axes substantially horizontal. The containers descending the chute 8 rest upon the laterally extending plate 9 of a pusher element III the function of which in moving the containers through the apparatus wherein the spout opening and orientating operations are performed at respective stations will be described hereinafter. The chute 8 has a horizontally extending portion I I for guiding the containers in alignment and in succession over the top of the table, and terminates in a spiral portion I2 which operates to turn the containers, during their progress through it under the influence of the pusher I0, through 90 so that their longitudinal axes will stand vertical with respect to the table 6 with their tops containing the closed spouts uppermost. It will be understood that, under the influence of the pusher I0, and its lateral extension 9, during the feeding operation hereinafter more particularly referred to, the containers will be successively admitted to the horizontally extending portion II of the chute, and as they are forced therethrough, pushing other containers previously admitted ahead of them, will, as they encounter the spirally arranged portion I2 be up-ended and thus presented at the spout opening and orientating stations, and in order that too great separation of the containers and interference of following containers with the one operated upon by the spout opening mechanism may not occur, a springpressed pawl element I 3 is interposed in their path of movement adjacent to the end of the spiral portion I2.

The spout opening mechanism includes a spirally threaded member I4 more particularly referred to in a co-pending sole application of the present applicant Robert W. Forrer for patent for Means for opening the spouts of spouted containers, filed Mar. 25, 1939, Serial No. 264,269. The spiral thread I5 of this member is formed in convolutions of gradually increasing diameter upon the arc of a circle substantially corresponding in radius to the are formed by the free edges I6 of the flanged sides H of the container spout, and this thread is of such a depth as to accommodate the lip I8 of the container spout and terminates at its lower end in substantially a knife edge I9 adapted to enter beneath the lip I8 of the spout so that rotation of the spiral element I4 will turn the spout upon its pivot at approximately the point 28 and will raise or open it from closed position to fully open position, as most clearly illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. The spiral element I4 is affixed to and turns with a shaft 2| arranged for axial sliding movement in the axial sleeve 22 of a pulley 23 which has its bearing in a bracket 24 mounted upon the frame of the apparatus. The shaft 2I is keyed or otherwise engaged with the sleeve 22 so that rotation of the sleeve by the pulley 23 will impart rotation to it and to the spiral member I4, constantly, at relatively high speed, through the drive of a belt or the like 25 engaging the pulley 2'3 and running over guide pulleys 26, on shaft 26', to the drive pulley 21 of a motor 28. Except for the drive of the spiral member I4, just described, the other moving parts of the apparatus of the invention are preferably, though not necessarily, driven by suitable gearing including the bevel gears 29 and chain and sprocket gearing 38 from a back shaft 3I which, through the gearing 29-30 derives intermittent drive from, and in timed relation to, the drive of the filling machine. A slack adjuster 32 of conventional form may be provided for the chain and sprocket gearing 30.

The back shaft 3| is connected by chain and sprocket gearing 33, or other appropriate means, with a cam shaft 34 carrying suitable cams by which appropriate motion is imparted to certain elements of the apparatus for performing its designed functions, and other parts of the apparatus are actuated through a cross shaft 35 driven by miter gears 36 from the back shaft 3|. This back shaft is connected by chain and sprocket gearing 31, or the like, to the shaft 38 of a crank 39 connected by a link 48 with the pivoted arm 4| of the pusher I0. By virtue of this drive, the arm M is so actuated as to oscillate through an arc which, at its free end carrying the pusher I0, is the equivalent of the diameter of one container. Thus, as the containers feed down the chute 8 the intermittent operation of the pusher I0 and its complemental lateral extension 9 will be such as successively to push forward (to the right Fig. 3) the containers previously admitted to the parts II and I2 of the chute a distance equal to the space occupied by one container up-ended and to cut off from admission to the part II other containers in the chute 8. Obviously, upon its return movement to the fullest extent of its oscillation to the left it will permit other containers to drop successively into the horizontal portion of the chute in position to be moved to the right.

As the containers are thus successively fed down the chute 8 and moved forward in the sections I I and I2, they will be presented successively, and individually, in position to be operated upon by the spout opening means including the spiral member I4, as shown at c, Fig. 2, and the containers next succeeding those positioned at 0 will be held against undesired movement by the spring pressed pawl I 3.

In view of the timed relation of actuation of the spout opening and orientating means to the successive feeding movement of the containers as just described, due to the nature of the drive of the mechanisms by which these operations are attained, it will be apparent that as the containers move forward successively, step by step, they will arrive at the stations where the operations of spout opening and orientation are performed at intervals when the means at these respective stations are prepared to perform their operations.

With this in mind, it will be noted that (see Figs. 9 and 10) as a container reaches the position 0 (Fig. 2) with its axis arranged coincident with the axis of rotation of the spiral member I4, the cam 42 on shaft 34 will almost have reached the position to permit the bell crank lever 43-44 under the influence of spring 45 to actuate link 46, yoke 41 and collar 48 to depress the constantly rotating spiral element I 4 into engagement with and centrally of the top of the container, and that when upon continuation of the rotation of the cam 42 this occurs (Figs. 10, 11, 12) the knife edge I9 of the thread I5 will enter beneath the lip I8 of the spout and will rapidly move the spout to full open position during the interval when the cam 42 presents the concentric low portionof its face to the contacting roller of the bell crank leverv 43-44, whereupon the spiral member [4 will, again immediately be elevated to the position shown in Fig. 9 and will remain in such position by operation of the high concentric portion of the cam face until another container is appropriately positioned beneath it and the container just operated upon is moved forward by such successively positioned container.

The container thus moved forward comes to rest in approximately axially centered position upon a rotatable member or turntable 49 (see Figs. 2 and 15) to which intermittent rotation through one complete turn is imparted by a pulley 50 on the back shaft 3| and a pulley on the vertical shaft or spindle 52 of the turntable, connected by a belt 53 or equivalent drive means. Desired axially centered position of the container upon the turntable member 49 is insured by a gate member 54 intermittently projected across the path of movement of the containers by a cam 55 rotatable with the cam shaft 34 which engages a cam contacting roller 56 carried by the gate member 54 and held in contact with the cam by an appropriate spring 51 having connections at its ends to the gate member 54 and to an appropriate bracket 58 carried by the frame of the apparatus, (see Figs. 2, 7 and 8). Another gate member 59 operating in a manner somewhat similar to that of the gate member 54 is projected in a direction at right angles to the gate member 54 by means of a cam 60 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4) rotating with the cross shaft 35 and engaging a cam follower roller 6| carried by a slide member 62 provided with a return spring 63 adjacent to one of its ends and connected at its other end with an extension 64 of the gate member 59.

It will be noted that the contours of the faces of the cams 55 and 69 are so designed, and the timing of their operation is such that the gate members 54 and 59 will house in the container during its rotation with the turntable 49 upon two sides, its other sides being housed in by guides 55 and 66 and coacting with suitable container contacting rollers 61.

Carried by the shaft 26', which is keyed or otherwise appropriately fixed to the bell crank lever 4344 for oscillation therewith, is a hold down or depressor finger 58 which, whenoscillated to its lowered position (see Fig. 15) presses firmly against the (top of the container substantially centrally thereof to hold its bottom in such frictional engagement with the rotatable turntable 49 as to insure rotation of the container with the turntable. Pivoted at 69 to a fixed bracket of the frame is a stop member 1| (see Figs. 1, 7, 7a, 8 and provided with a lever extension 12 preferably spring-pressed at 12 and actuated by a link 13 preferably hooked at 13' and connected with an arm 14 carried by the gate member 54 and movable therewith under the infiuence of the cam 55. Thus, as the gate member 54 is moved into the path of movement of the containers and, coincidently with actuation of the gate member 59, appropriately positions a particular container upon the turntable 49, the stop member II will move from the position indicated in Figs. 1, '7. 8 and 13 to that indicated in Figs. 7a, 14 and 15, projecting into the circular path of movement of the opened spout d of the container (see Fig. 15). The spring operating mechanism for the stop member ll (Figs, '7, 1 d and 8) accommodates the member to slight variations in height of the containers and prevents obstruction of their proper desired rotation with the turntable.

Hence, as the container is rotated with the turntable 49, its open spout d will travel in a circular path until it abuts against the stop member H, as indicated in Figs. 13 and 14, and the container will thus be orientated by means of its spout so that it is in proper orientation ultimately to assume the position indicated at b, Fig. 2, with its spout properly located for cooperation with the filling nozzle 2 of the filling ma chine hopper l. Obviously, if less than a com-- plete rotation of the turntable is adequate to orientate the container, the turntable will rotate beneath the container as its engagement therewith is merely frictional,

Upon completion of this operation of orientation, the container is pushed. off of the turntable in a direction at right angles to its f rmer direction of movement by means of the guide 66 which then functions as a feeder member (see Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6) arranged at right angles to the slide 15 by which it is carried. The cam contacting noller 16 of this slide acts under the influence of a spring 11 to constantly engage a cam 18 rotating with the cam shaft 34. The container is thus moved off of the turntable 49 into such position that its open spout engages the guides 19 and it is moved along the path by succeeding containers until it strikes the abutment 8| which appropriately locates it upon one of the platforms 3 of the filling machine.

Obviously. as the container is moved off of the turntable 49, the gate members 54 and 59 will be retracted, and the stop member H and hold down finger 68 will be raised so that a following container may be positioned upon the turntable.

Thus, during the step by stepor intermittent operation of the parts of the apparatus, and as the successive movement of the containers takes place, their spouts will be opened and they will be orientated with reference to their open spouts and appropriately guided by such open spouts to proper positions upon successive platforms 4 of the filling machine. After the containers have been filled through their open spouts the spouts will be closed and sealed by any appropriate means such as the automatic closing and wafer sealing machines now known and used.

As described, the apparatus of the invention has its parts intermittently operated by driving means connected with and actuated by the intermittently functioning drive of the filling machine. If, however, it is desired to provide the apparatus with an individual motor drive instead, the sprocket on the back shaft 3|, which forms a part of the chain and sprocket drive 30, may be connected with and driven by such individual motor, or other suitable gearing for the individual drive may be provided. In any case, intermittent rotation may be imparted to the back shaft, and

therethrough to other parts of the apparatus, through a single rotation clutch mechanism 82 of any approved or standard type, the actuating lever 83 of which is operated by a link 84 con nected to one end of a pivoted lever 85 the other end of which carries a trip member 86 normally projecting into the path of movement of the containers down the chute 8 and hence in position to be oscillated upon the engagement of each individual container with it, thereby causing appropriate functioning of the single revolution clutch mechanism in timed relation to the progress and.

feeding movement of the containers through the apparatus.

It is thought that the foregoing description will give an adequate understanding of the operation of the invention. However, the various steps of operation whereby the method of the invention is performed may be described as follows: The containers descending the chute 8 are fed successively by the cut-off and pusher member 9l0 into the guide portions II and i2 in contact with each other. When they emerge successively from the portion [2 they will have been up-ended with their spouted covers uppermost and will be pushed to the spout opening station where, immediately, the rotating spiral member 14 will descend, move the spouts to open position and recede. Then they will progress to the orientating station where in response to operation of the turntable 49 and stop member H they will be properly orientated, and then the feeder member M will advance them through the guides 19 to the platforms 3 of the filling machine.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for handling, preliminary to filling, a spouted container the spout of which lies normally closed against a wall of the container, comprising means including a part insertible between said spout and container wall for automatically moving the spout from closed to opened condition, means for orientating the container by reference to its opened spout, including means for rotatively supporting the container to rotate the same and means for arresting rotation of the container by contact with its opened spout,

and means for guiding the container by cooperation with its opened spout from said rotative supporting means to a position for filling.

2. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means comprising a rotative spiral element for automatically moving the spouts thereof to opened condition,

and means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts.

3. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for automatically moving the spouts thereof to opened condition, and means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts including a rotative container supporting member, and astop member projectable into the path of movement of the opened container spout as the container rotates with said member.

4. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for automatically moving the spouts thereof to opened condition, and means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts including a rotative container supporting member, means for holding the container in rotative engagement with said member, and a stop member projectable into the path of movement of the opened container spout as the container rotates with said member.

5. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for auto matically moving the spouts thereof to opened condition, means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts, and means for guiding the containers by reference to their opened spouts from. said orientating means in predetermined relation to a position for subsequent handling.

6. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for automatically moving the container spouts to open condition, means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts with respect to a position for subsequent handling, means for successively moving the containers from a source of supply of same to said spout opening means and therefrom to said orientating means, and means for moving the containers in succession from said orientating means to the position for subsequent handling.

7. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for automatically moving the container spouts to open condition, means for orientating the containers by reference to their opened spouts with respect to a position for subsequent handling, means for successively moving the containers from a source of supply of same to said spout opening means and therefrom to said orientating means, means for moving the containers in succession from said orientating means to the position for subsequent handling, and guide means cooperating with the opened spouts for maintaining the orientation of the containers during their movement from said orientating means.

8. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for supporting and means for successively feeding containers with their spouts in closed condition, rotative spiral means for automatically moving said spouts to open condition as the containers are successively presented to it, means for rotating said spout opening means, means for moving said spout opening means into operative relation to the closed spouts of successive containers to open same and for withdrawing said opening means from the spouts after opening same, and means for orientating successive containers by reference to their opened spouts.

9. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for supporting and means for successively feeding containers with their spouts in closed condition, constantly rotated spiral means for automatically moving said spouts to open condition as the containers are successively presented to it, means for rotating said spout opening means, means for moving said spout opening means into operative relation to the closed spouts of successive containers to open same and for withdrawing said opening means from the spouts after opening same, and means for orientating successive containers by reference to their opened spouts.

10. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for supporting and means for successively feeding containers with their spouts in closed condition, means for moving the spouts of successive containers to open condition, means including a rotative member and a spout engaging stop for sorientating successive containers by reference to rotative member and a spout engaging stop for orientating successive containers by reference to their opened spouts, and means comprising gate means actuated in timed relation to the rotation of said rotative member for maintaining successive containers in operative relation to said rotative member and stop during orientation of the containers.

12. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for supporting and means for successively feeding contm'ners with their spouts in closed condition, means for moving the spouts of successive containers to open condition, means including a rotative member and a spout engaging stop for orientating successive containers by reference to their opened spouts, and means comprising gate means and a hold-down finger actuated in timed relation to the rotation of said rotative member for maintaining successive containers in operat ive relation to said rotative member and stop during orientation of the containers.

13. Apparatus for handling spouted containers preliminary to filling, including means for automatically moving the container spouts to open condition, means for orientating the containers :by reference to their opened spouts with respect "to a position for subsequent handling, means for successively moving the containers from a source of sup-ply of same to said spout opening means and therefrom to said orientating means, means for moving the containers in succession from said orientating means to the position for subsequent handling, and means operative in response 

